SFTP Exchange
Exchange invoice files with an SFTP server — for trading partners, EDI providers, or in-house systems that work with file drops instead of PEPPOL or an API.
What it does
Section titled “What it does”SFTP works in two directions, each with its own set of folders:
| Direction | What Tapr does | Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| AP — outgoing | Uploads the source file of each approved Purchase Invoice | When the Purchase Invoice reaches Approved |
| AR — incoming | Picks up Sales Invoice files dropped in the AR New folder and creates Sales Invoices in Out Docs | Every poll interval, or Fetch SFTP Now |
Files move through New → In Progress → Success, or to Error if something fails. Every transfer is recorded in an SFTP Transfer Log.
Open Tapr Settings → SFTP and tick Enable SFTP.
Connection
Section titled “Connection”| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Host | SFTP server hostname |
| Port | Default 22 |
| Username | SFTP account |
| Authentication Method | Password or Private Key |
| Password | When using password auth |
| Private Key | Full PEM-encoded private key, when using key auth |
| Private Key Passphrase | Only if the key is encrypted |
Click Test SFTP Connection before saving.
Sales Invoice pickup (AR)
Section titled “Sales Invoice pickup (AR)”| Field | Notes |
|---|---|
| Poll Interval | How often to check the AR New folder, in minutes (10–60, default 10) |
| Fetch SFTP Now | Check the folder immediately |
Folders
Section titled “Folders”Paths are relative to the SFTP user’s home directory. Defaults:
| Folder | AP (Purchase Invoice upload) | AR (Sales Invoice pickup) |
|---|---|---|
| New | ap/new | ar/new |
| In Progress | ap/wip | ar/wip |
| Success | ap/success | ar/success |
| Error | ap/error | ar/error |
Create these folders on the server (or change the paths to match your server’s layout), then Save.
AR: supported files
Section titled “AR: supported files”Files in the AR New folder are processed like other AR intake:
| File type | How it is read |
|---|---|
.xml (UBL / CII) | Structured e-invoice parsing — no AI needed |
.pdf | Embedded XML when present (Factur-X / ZUGFeRD), otherwise AI extraction (BYOK required) |
.json | Pre-structured invoice data in Tapr’s extracted-invoice format — no AI needed |
Each file counts against your plan’s message quota, like other AR intake channels.
AP: what is uploaded
Section titled “AP: what is uploaded”When a Purchase Invoice reaches workflow state Approved, Tapr uploads its source file (the original PDF or XML) once. Later edits to the approved invoice do not trigger another upload. A Purchase Invoice with no source file is logged as Failed.
The upload needs that approval workflow. On a site with no workflow, the Submit fallback does not set Approved, so nothing is uploaded.
SFTP Transfer Log
Section titled “SFTP Transfer Log”Desk → SFTP Transfer Log lists every transfer:
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Direction | Outgoing AP or Incoming AR |
| Status | Queued, Uploading, Processing, Success, Failed |
| File Name / Remote Path | The file and where it ended up |
| Purchase Invoice / Sales Invoice | The linked document |
| Attempts, Last Attempt At, Last Error | Retry history |
Open a Failed row and click Retry to queue it again. For AR files, Retry reprocesses the file from the Error folder.
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”- Test connection fails: check host, port, firewall rules (Tapr connects outbound to your server), and credentials. For key auth, paste the whole PEM block including the
BEGIN/ENDlines. - AR files stay in New: confirm Enable SFTP is ticked and the poll interval has passed, or use Fetch SFTP Now.
- Files land in Error: open the matching SFTP Transfer Log row for Last Error; also check the Error Log.